峻

jùn

夋 + 山

Definitions

jùn (adjective) steep; high; towering

jùn (adjective) severe; strict; rigorous

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 山 represents the meaning and 夋 represents the sound.

Semantic: 山 Phonetic: 夋

About

峻 is a phonosemantic compound where 山 (mountain) provides the meaning and 夋 the sound. The character's basic sense refers to high, steep, and towering mountains. From this concrete geographical use, it took on figurative meanings applied to human temperament or circumstances, describing someone as stern, severe, or rigorous, or a situation as harsh, evoking the unyielding and imposing nature of a steep mountain peak.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这里的山势很峻峭。

Zhèlǐ de shānshì hěn jùnqiào.

The mountain terrain here is very steep.

他面临着严峻的挑战。

Tā miànlínzhe yánjùn de tiǎozhàn.

He is facing severe challenges.

峻岭之间有一条小路。

Jùnlǐng zhī jiān yǒu yī tiáo xiǎolù.

There is a small path between the steep mountains.

天气严寒，地势险峻。

Tiānqì yánhán, dìshì xiǎnjùn.

The weather is bitterly cold, and the terrain is steep and dangerous.

河流在峻峭的峡谷中奔腾。

Héliú zài jùnqiào de xiágǔ zhōng bēnténg.

The river rushes through the steep canyon.

尽管形势严峻，我们仍要坚持下去。

Jǐnguǎn xíngshì yánjùn, wǒmen réng yào jiānchí xiàqù.

Although the situation is severe, we must still persevere.

北方的山峦比南方的更加峻拔。

Běifāng de shānluán bǐ nánfāng de gèng jiā jùnbá.

The mountains in the north are steeper and more towering than those in the south.

在如此严峻的经济环境下，企业必须采取峻厉的措施。

Zài rúcǐ yánjùn de jīngjì huánjìng xià, qǐyè bìxū cǎiqǔ jùnlì de cuòshī.

In such a severe economic environment, enterprises must adopt stern measures.

Related Characters

Component: 夋

Component: 山

峻